May 18 / 15.55 Stratford

15.55

Good

William Hill Proper Value Novices’ Handicap Chase

  • Prize money: £4304.01
  • 2m 0f 213y
  • Class 5
  • 7 runners
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William Hill Proper Value Novices’ Handicap Chase

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

3/1 (Won)

  • Win: £2.50
  • Place: £1.40

Form: 444P-2 D

Last run: 12 days

W: 12st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 99

Form & Verdict
0-6 over fences; bounced back from poor performance when keeping on well to snatch never-dangerous second at Worcester (2m, good) 12 days ago but others here have more convincing profiles.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

3

21st Jun 2025

Good

2m 1f 77y

Class 4

15:55 Bangor-on-Dee

Tactical Affair

11st 3lb

J: James Bowen

T: Warren Greatrex

The more his mark has eased this spring and summer the better he's done over fences, culminating in last month's Stratford success (2m1f, good); chance likely rests on whether he's derived sufficient confidence from that experience to defy going back up 10lb.

13/8

1st

1

18th May 2025

Good

2m 0f 213y

Class 5

15:55 Stratford

Tactical Affair

12st 0lb

J: James Bowen

T: Warren Greatrex

0-6 over fences; bounced back from poor performance when keeping on well to snatch never-dangerous second at Worcester (2m, good) 12 days ago but others here have more convincing profiles.

3/1

1st

1

18th May 2025

Good

2m 0f 213y

Class 5

15:55 Stratford

Tactical Affair

12st 0lb

J: James Bowen

T: Warren Greatrex

0-6 over fences; bounced back from poor performance when keeping on well to snatch never-dangerous second at Worcester (2m, good) 12 days ago but others here have more convincing profiles.

3/1

7/1

  • Place: £2.30

Form: /636-3

Last run: 11 days

W: 10st 5lb

6 yo Filly

OR: 76

Form & Verdict
Placed at Bangor (2m4f, good) on one of her three chasing starts in early part of last season and returned from ten-month absence with encouraging 2m hurdle run this 11 days ago; enters calculations.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

5

4th Sep 2025

Good

2m 5f 28y

Class 5

17:28 Sedgefield

Rorys Story

10st 10lb

J: Harry Reed

T: Tristan Davidson

Has been getting her act together over fences and the breakthrough came at Cartmel (2m1f) in July on her penultimate start; stayed on from the rear when third of eight over that C&D (also good) ten days ago; this sort of trip is probably worth exploring again.

3/1

3rd

8

25th Aug 2025

Good

2m 1f 61y

Class 5

17:18 Cartmel

Rorys Story

10st 11lb

J: Harry Reed

T: Tristan Davidson

The breakthrough had been coming and he was much too good for Pittsburg over C&D (good) a month ago; 7lb higher but something appears to have clicked.

7/2

1st

6

19th Jul 2025

Good To Soft

2m 1f 61y

Class 5

17:10 Cartmel

Rorys Story

10st 3lb

J: Harry Reed

T: Tristan Davidson

14-race maiden; in the frame in three consecutive good-ground chases since dropped back to about 2m this season but needs to find something extra to get a win on the board here and the forecast slower ground is a worry.

11/2

Form: 35PFP-

Last run: 34 days

W: 10st 7lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 78

Form & Verdict
Excelled himself when third of five from miles out of the weights over C&D (good to firm) last summer but struggled to get competitive at Warwick last month, after a break, and is now 0-9 over fences; too risky.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

30th May 2026

Good To Firm

2m 4f 205y

Class 4

20:20 Stratford

Boom Boom

10st 2lb

J: Robert Dunne

T: Rob Summers

Won here over 2m1f (good) and an extended 2m3f (good to firm) last summer; subsequently lost his form in three runs; hard to gauge how he will run after a layoff but he would come into this if back on song.

7/1

6

19th Nov 2025

Soft

2m 0f 54y

Class 5

15:40 Warwick

Boom Boom

11st 1lb

J: Charlie Hammond

T: Rob Summers

Won at Stratford over 2m1f (good) in June and an extended 2m3f (good to firm) in July; ran better than the margin suggests at Worcester in August; suffered a seriously heavy defeat back at Stratford last time, however, while soft ground would raise a further concern.

14/1

7

20th Aug 2025

Good

2m 0f 110y

Class 5

16:50 Worcester

Boom Boom

11st 2lb

J: Robert Dunne

T: Rob Summers

Has emerged from a spell in the wilderness this season and is on a hat-trick after two wins at Stratford (2m1f/2m3f); up another 5lb since last time but must be considered in current form.

7/2

Form: 33513- D

Last run: 28 days

W: 10st 8lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 79

Form & Verdict
Returned from break with win at Sedgefield (2m, good) last month, his fifth chase, and was placed off today's mark at Market Rasen (2m1f, good) a few days later; obvious contender in current form.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

2nd Oct 2025

Good

1m 7f 182y

Class 5

14:00 Southwell

Royal Max

10st 6lb

J: Sean Quinlan

T: Charles & Adam Pogson

His near-9l fifth in this race last year (behind Clean Getaway) came at the end of a fairly busy spring/summer campaign; defied longer absence than today's for April's Sedgefield success, but yet to convince this higher sort of mark hasn't compromised him for further win purposes.

9/1

4th

4

18th May 2025

Good

2m 0f 213y

Class 5

15:55 Stratford

Royal Max

10st 8lb

J: Charlie Todd

T: Charles & Adam Pogson

Returned from break with win at Sedgefield (2m, good) last month, his fifth chase, and was placed off today's mark at Market Rasen (2m1f, good) a few days later; obvious contender in current form.

5/2

4th

4

18th May 2025

Good

2m 0f 213y

Class 5

15:55 Stratford

Royal Max

10st 8lb

J: Charlie Todd

T: Charles & Adam Pogson

Returned from break with win at Sedgefield (2m, good) last month, his fifth chase, and was placed off today's mark at Market Rasen (2m1f, good) a few days later; obvious contender in current form.

5/2

OUR TIP

Form: 1F353- C

Last run: 37 days

W: 11st 3lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 88

Form & Verdict
Three-time hurdle winner, once over 2m2f here on good ground; ran well for long way before fading into third behind Royal Max on last month's chasing debut at Sedgefield (2m, good) and has good claims here if that outing (his first since November) brought him on.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

4

28th May 2026

Good

2m 1f 43y

Class 5

20:07 Market Rasen

Cawthorne Cracker

10st 10lb

J: Toby Wynne

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Not at his best at Stratford 11 days ago and now 0-6 over fences but he had returned from a break with a pretty good third over C&D (good) last month and his current mark is workable.

9/2

5th

7

17th May 2026

Good To Firm

2m 0f 213y

Class 4

15:05 Stratford

Cawthorne Cracker

10st 3lb

J: Toby Wynne

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Course winner over hurdles; returned from a break with respectable third in Market Rasen chase (2m1f, good) last month but is 0-5 over fences now and others in this line-up probably have more potential.

9/2

3rd

5

5th Apr 2026

Good

2m 1f 43y

Class 5

15:58 Market Rasen

Cawthorne Cracker

10st 12lb

J: Robert Dunne

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Three hurdle wins; went close to a breakthrough chase success at Uttoxeter (2m, good) last September but absent since respectable hurdle run the following month and may be reliant upon genuine good ground.

11/2

Form: 8086-7 D

Last run: 13 days

W: 10st 2lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 65

Form & Verdict
Yet to add to his two hurdling wins in spring 2021 and it's a good while since he showed any worthwhile form; 8lb out of the weights today; can't be recommended.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8

16th Oct 2025

Good

2m 7f 177y

Class 5

14:05 Ffos Las

Mawlood

10st 2lb

J: Tabitha Worsley

T: Georgie Howell

Struggled when a big-priced outsider at Southwell (2m4f, good) a fortnight ago and is now 0-18 over fences; 12lb wrong here; can't be recommended.

100/1

10

2nd Oct 2025

Good

2m 4f 88y

Class 5

15:05 Southwell

Mawlood

10st 2lb

J: James Davies

T: Georgie Howell

0-17 over fences and winless in well over four years; well beaten again from out of the weights last week and a similar fate likely awaits.

200/1

11

26th Sep 2025

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

14:07 Worcester

Mawlood

10st 2lb

J: Tabitha Worsley

T: Georgie Howell

Won twice over hurdles in spring 2021 but has been in the doldrums for a long time; 8lb out of the weights today and very difficult to enthuse over.

50/1

Form: 7/57-9

Last run: 15 days

W: 10st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 73

Form & Verdict
Out of form over fences last spring and suffered another heavy defeat when reappearing over hurdles this month (raced too freely); sports refitted tongue-tie today; has too much to prove.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

11

5th Jun 2025

Good

1m 7f 168y

Class 5

17:05 Uttoxeter

Whyzzat

10st 2lb

J: Miss Jess Stewart

T: Sarah-Jayne Davies

Ex-Irish; won a maiden hurdle at Roscommon in August 2021 (1m7f, good to yielding); mainly disappointing since and has a tough task from 10lb out of the handicap; hood now tried.

50/1

11

5th Jun 2025

Good

1m 7f 168y

Class 5

17:05 Uttoxeter

Whyzzat

10st 2lb

J: Miss Jess Stewart

T: Sarah-Jayne Davies

Ex-Irish; won a maiden hurdle at Roscommon in August 2021 (1m7f, good to yielding); mainly disappointing since and has a tough task from 10lb out of the handicap; hood now tried.

50/1

7th

7

18th May 2025

Good

2m 0f 213y

Class 5

15:55 Stratford

Whyzzat

10st 2lb

J: James Best

T: Sarah-Jayne Davies

Out of form over fences last spring and suffered another heavy defeat when reappearing over hurdles this month (raced too freely); sports refitted tongue-tie today; has too much to prove.

33/1

Non-runners

Culligran

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £9.40
Straight Forecast £9.37
Tricast £100.02
Trifecta £49.30

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Tactical Affair

Daily Mirror:

Royal Max

WEST COUNTRY:

Culligran

SPOTLIGHT:

Cawthorne Cracker

POSTDATA:

Tactical Affair

LAMBOURN:

Tactical Affair

The Times:

Tactical Affair

Telegraph:

Tactical Affair

D Express:

Tactical Affair

The Sun:

Tactical Affair

The Star:

Royal Max

Daily Record:

Royal Max